[AMRadio] Re: Genius Loci, Joke Ebay Auctions

[Donald Chester]

>From: W5OMR/Geoff <w5omr at satx.rr.com>

>...No one does things for themselves, anymore.  It seems to me, that the 
>last group of folks that have ret/maintained the ability to think, are 
>those of us who are creative enough to build stuff on our own.  Not only 
>homebrewing hams, but other hobbyists.
>
>The government has succeeded in 'dumbing down America', and for the most 
>part, we're content with that.



Geoff and all,

Here is a copy of something I just finished posting on the Topband 
Reflector:


>From: Steve Ireland <vk6vz at arach.net.au>

>Back in the 1960/70s, it was the tradition for all newly licensed radio
>amateurs in the UK to go onto topband, where they did their apprenticeship
>by building a 10W AM/CW transmitter to go with their ex-WW2 military
>surplus receiver...

>There was a real genius loci back in those days and thankfully it is still
>infecting lots of people.

That's EXACTLY the issue I have with the new "foundation class" entry level
licence in VK and in the UK, that forbids the use of anything but
commercially-built equipment.  I believe there is a beginner's licence with 
a
similar restriction in Canada, or at least one has been proposed.

Don, k4kyv